University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Ernie Zeigler and Chris Carlson Join Pittsburgh Basketball Staff
8/2/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
PITTSBURGH - University of Pittsburgh head coach Ben Howland has announced the appointment of Ernie Zeigler and Chris Carlson to the Panthers' basketball staff. Zeigler has been named an assistant coach, while Carlson will serve as director of basketball operations.
"I am excited to have our staff completed," said Howland. "We already have an outstanding duo in Jamie Dixon and Barry Rohrssen. Ernie and Chris will be great complements to our present staff."
Zeigler comes to Pittsburgh after serving one-year tenures at both Bowling Green (2000-01) and Kansas State (1999-2000). He also boasts significant head coaching experience overseas.
"I am ecstatic to have the opportunity to work with Coach Howland, Coach Dixon and Coach Rohrssen in a program that obviously is becoming one of the best in the nation," said Zeigler. "This opportunity to assist Coach Howland in achieving the level of excellence that he wants for the Pittsburgh basketball program is extremely exciting for me."
"I am excited to add Ernie to our staff," Howland said. "He has great qualifications. He has been a full-time assistant at both Bowling Green and Kansas State and has a wealth of knowledge in terms of the game. Ernie also has a keen ability to relate to players. He has been a fixture in the Detroit area for years and owns strong basketball contacts."
From 1997-99, Zeigler was head coach for the Al-Hilal Sports Club in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He guided his team to the championship of the Saudi Arabian Basketball Federation Playoffs in 1999 and to the Final Four of the Arab Championship Games and the Saudi Arabian Basketball Federation Playoffs in 1998.
In addition, Zeigler was the head coach of the Henan Wildcats from 1996-97 and was named the Chinese National Basketball Alliance International Coach of the Year in 1997 after leading the Wildcats to their first winning season in club history and their first playoff berth.
From 1992-97, Zeigler was the head coach of Team Detroit AAU. He led his squad to the state AAU Final Four Tournament each year at the helm. In 1994, Zeigler's team qualified for the National AAU Quarterfinals. In 1995 and 1997, he directed the team to the quarterfinals of the adidas Big Time Tournament.
Zeigler is a 1994 graduate of Cleary College with a bachelor's degree in business management.
A Detroit native, Zeigler began his coaching career at his alma mater, Detroit Cody High, under the tutelage of Head Coach Robert Menbefee.
Carlson comes to Pittsburgh after three seasons (1998-2001) as an assistant coach at Northern Arizona where he focused on the defense and helped coach the post players.
"I want to thank Coach Howland for this incredible opportunity," said Carlson. "These are exciting times not only for Pittsburgh basketball, but also for the athletic department as a whole. I am proud and very excited to be a part of that."
"I am elated to have Chris on my staff," Howland said. "He brings an excellent background to Pittsburgh. His administrative skills and organization will be an asset for our program. We have worked together before and he knows my expectations. Chris left a job as the first assistant coach at NAU. I know he is really enthusiastic about coming to Pittsburgh and contributing to our program."
Prior to Northern Arizona, Carlson served as an assistant coach at UC-Santa Barbara from 1994-98. He also served as an assistant from 1991-93 at Dos Pueblos High in Goleta, Calif.
Carlson also boasts a wealth of administrative basketball experience. He has been a game management assistant at the National Association of Basketball Coaches Final Four All-Star Game for the last nine years and also worked three NCAA West Basketball Regional Tournaments. In addition, Carlson was an intern in the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams media relations department.
Carlson is a 1993 graduate of UC-Santa Barbara with a bachelor's degree in history. A native of San Diego, Calif., Carlson attended Helix High School where he earned all-league honors in basketball.
